Fairmount

By Rebecca Boreczky and Rebecca Boreczky,SPECIAL TO THE SUN | June 1, 2003

When Arnold Hayes was a Baltimore school teacher in 1972, he purchased a home in the city where he worked. But there was nothing city about his new neighborhood of Fairmount. Hayes found open spaces and wooded areas within the urban setting. And Hayes, who is now president of the Fairmount Community Association, knew he was home in what he fondly calls his country retreat. Fairmount is a five-street southwest Baltimore neighborhood comprising Chelsea Road, Nortonia Road, Chesholm Road and Winterbourne Road and backing up to the Gwynns Falls Trail.

Baltimore County's Fairmount Bancorp Inc. said Monday its bank, Fairmount Bank, is now a state-chartered commercial bank, after converting from a federally chartered savings bank last week. "We believe the Maryland commercial bank charter will be a better fit as we continue to transform our balance sheet and product mix to more effectively pursue our banking strategies," CEO and president Joseph M. Solomon said in a statement. Fairmount Bank had $78.7 million in assets at the end of June, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

To Jerry O. Pittman, the dilapidated 148-year-old mansion known as "The Mount" offers an opportunity for staff members of his nonprofit group home provider to come together under one roof in an isolated corner of West Baltimore. But Pittman's plans to restore the mansion - fixing its slumping roof and gutting its interior to create office space for about 30 employees - is running into fierce neighborhood opposition. Many residents of the Fairmount community charge that his idea, particularly his proposal to build a community center on an adjacent piece of property, will bring in unwarranted traffic, noise and other unwelcome hazards.

Fairmount Bancorp announced Friday that it plans to repurchase up to 25,000 shares of its common stock, or about 5 percent of the total outstanding shares. The parent of the Baltimore County-based Fairmount Bank said it will buy shares periodically over the next six months depending on market conditions. Joseph M. Solomon, president and CEO, said in a statement that the company's strong capital position allows it to conduct the buyback to enhance stockholder value.

The Carroll County Board of Zoning Appeals has approved a request by Larry R. and Joyce M. Green, of 1628 Fairmount Road, Hampstead, to enlarge an existing office for an automobile repair shop and to connect the shop with an adjoining residence by way of a deck.

FIRE* Mount Airy: Mount Airy assisted Frederick County at a house fire on Fairmount Place at 6:18 a.m. Wednesday. Units were out for five minutes.Mount Airy assisted Howard County at a garage fire in the 1100 block of Long Corner Road at 7:37 p.m. Tuesday. Units were out for 20 minutes.

PoliceHampstead: A Fairmount Avenue resident told police that a water heater was stolen from a junked trailer outside his home between 3 p.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. Monday. The loss was estimated at $164.Pub Date: 1/15/98

A man was killed yesterday in Owings Mills when the limb of a large tree he was trimming with a chain saw struck him in the upper body and pinned him against another limb, Baltimore County police said.Raymond Mark Harbaugh, 33, of the 6600 block of Fairmount Ave. in the Brighton section near Reisterstown Road Plaza was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. The body was taken to the state medical examiner's office for an autopsy.Police said Harbaugh was about 35 feet off the ground in the 3300 block of Carroll Ave. near Garrison Forest Road, trimming a tree with another man when the accident occurred about 3: 20 p.m.Harry S. Harbaugh Jr., also of the 6600 block of Fairmount Ave. said his brother, who was self-employed, used all the required safety equipment but was not a licensed landscaper or tree trimmer.

FIRE* Hampstead: Hampstead, Manchester and Arcadia of Baltimore County were dispatched to a basement fire in the 1500 block of Fairmount Road at 7:57 p.m. Tuesday. Units were out 29 minutes.* Manchester: Manchester responded to investigate the report of a fire alarm sounding in a building in the 4000 block of Rustin Drive at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday. They were out 27 minutes.

FIRE* Hampstead: Hampstead responded to a brush fire on Fairmount Road at 1:12 a.m. Sunday. Units were out 30 minutes.Hampstead responded to a brush fire on Hanover Pike at 12:36 a.m. Sunday. Units were out one hour.* Manchester: Manchester, Hampstead and Lineboro investigated the report of smoke in a house in the 3000 block of Main St. at 5:26 p.m. Friday. Units were out 13 minutes.

Baltimore County Police are asking for the public's help in identifying a man suspected in the Nov. 15 armed robbery at Wells Fargo Bank, in the 900 block of Fairmount Avenue, Towson. Police said that on Tuesday, at about 2 p.m., a man entered the bank and passed the teller a note demanding money. The suspect implied that he had a weapon. He fled the bank on foot after receiving money from the teller. Police did not disclose the amount taken. The suspect is described as a white male, 25 to 30 years old, 6 feet tall, 140 pounds, and with a thin build and fair complexion.

Fairmount Bancorp, the holding company of its namesake bank in Rosedale, announced Thursday that it had completed the acquisition of Baltimore's Fullerton Federal Savings Association. Under the deal, Fairmount sold $793,000 of its common stock to Fullerton Federal depositors and to Fairmount's employee stock ownership plan. Shares were also offered to the public. Hanah.cho@baltsun.com

Fairmount Bancorp in Rosedale announced Thursday that it has agreed to acquire Baltimore's Fullerton Federal Savings Association. As part of the agreement, Fullerton Federal will convert from a federally chartered mutual savings association to a stock entity and issue stock to Fairmount. In exchange, Fairmount will offer shares of its stock to Fullerton Federal members and then to Fairmount's employee stock ownership plan in a subscription offering. Once the offering is complete, Fullerton Federal will be integrated into Fairmount Bank.

The southbound lanes of York Road at Fairmount Avenue in Towson were closed Wednesday night due to a water main break, said a State Highway Administration spokesman. Traffic was being diverted to the northbound lanes, said the spokesman, Charlie Gischlar. As of 3:30 a.m. Thursday, the water main had been repaired, said David Fidler, a spokesman for Baltimore County's Department of Public Works. But a contractor needed to repair the roadway, work that was expected to be completed during the evening rush, he said.

Fairmount Bancorp in Baltimore said Thursday it has completed a stock offering that raised about $4.4 million to convert its namesake bank from a mutual to a stock entity. The company said 444,038 shares were sold at $10 apiece. Shares were expected to begin trading Thursday on the OTC Bulletin Board under the symbol "FMTB." The bank, founded in 1879, is located in the Rosedale area. hanah.cho@baltsun.com

Fairmount Bancorp in Baltimore said Thursday it will begin a stock offering as part of the move to convert Fairmount Bank from a mutual to a stock-based organization. The company said it has received approval from the Office of Thrift Supervision to start the conversion and the stock offering. The company plans to offer 425,000 to 575,000 shares of stock at a price of $10 per share. Shares will first be offered to depositors as of Sept. 30, 2008, and then to the bank's employee stock ownership plan.

The Towson architectural firm of William F. Kirwin Inc. has won the competition to design a cancer survivors park at Fairmount Avenue and Goucher Boulevard.The park will be constructed on an acre of Baltimore County property with $1 million donated by Richard A. Bloch, a co-founder of tax giant H&R Block. The property is next to Towson Town Center, immediately east of the Nordstroms department store.Construction is expected to begin in late spring. The Kirwin design, which features a waterfall and an area for statuary, won in a field of about 30 entries.

By Justin Fenton and Justin Fenton,justin.fenton@baltsun.com | August 1, 2009

Police have charged a 20-year-old man in connection with a fatal shooting that might have ties to Sunday's shooting of 12 people at an East Baltimore cookout, according to law enforcement sources. Brandon K. Brown was arrested Friday and charged in a double shooting July 19 that killed 16-year-old Jerrod Reed, police confirmed. Reed, who had no criminal record, was hit in the head by a bullet while standing on an East Baltimore corner, Kenwood Avenue and Madison Street, a few blocks from where he lived with relatives.

To Jerry O. Pittman, the dilapidated 148-year-old mansion known as "The Mount" offers an opportunity for staff members of his nonprofit group home provider to come together under one roof in an isolated corner of West Baltimore. But Pittman's plans to restore the mansion - fixing its slumping roof and gutting its interior to create office space for about 30 employees - is running into fierce neighborhood opposition. Many residents of the Fairmount community charge that his idea, particularly his proposal to build a community center on an adjacent piece of property, will bring in unwarranted traffic, noise and other unwelcome hazards.